Signal apparatus.



.l. D. WATSON.

SIGNAL APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27, 1917.

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1. n. WATSON.-

SIGNAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27,191]- 1,282,662. Patented 0a 22, 1918.

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JOSEPH D. WATSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS;

SIGNAL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters: Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 191$.

Application filed November 27, 1-917. Serial No. 204,180.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosErH D. WATSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal Apparatus, of which the following" is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in signal apparatus broadly, designed so as to embody a visiblesignal the element or elements of which are adapted to be con trolled by the particular disposition of acontrolling member.

More specifically, the device comprehends the use of a signaling part, the motions, signs, or intelligences of which are imparted to it by the setting of a control member with relation to a control board or plat bearing indicia from which the signal to be conveyed is determined,

In the illustrated embodiment the. signal member preferably consists of a standing part or figure having a moving arm or arms and a control pointer operably connected to said arm and movable relative to indicia so plotted that when the pointer is, say on a particular signal, the arm or arms will tie scribea motion or assume a position which in some predetermined code corresponds to or represents the said symbol on which the pointer moves or rest-s, the position of the arms, where more than one is used, being the resultant of the movements of the connections intermediate the arms and the pointer as imparted thereto by said pointer.

lVith the above and other objects in view, this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts all as'hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation;

Fig. 4 is a top plan; and

fFi'g. 5 is a sectional View on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

It may be here stated that the apparatus which is now to be described is capable of being prepared in miniature as a toy device, or in larger construction for purposes of instruction or actual practical use for signaling purposes for such organizations as .the Boy Scouts or Army cantonments and the like. Furthermore the construction hereinafter set forth is designed especially for signaling by the use of the semaphore distant signal system, but it is to be understood that the apparatus is not confined to the particular adaptation described herein as the preferred embodiment.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a suitable base or support for the standing signal part '2 which may in conformation partake of the human figure embodying independently movable arms 3 preferably carrying the flags l. The arms are of course pivotally attached to the body of the figure as indicated at 5 and said pivots have each fixed thereto a drum 6 about which an operative connection 7 is partially wound, said connections passing through a guide 8 arranged laterally of the figure and to a control member or pointer 9, the latter being common to both said connections. The drums also carry operating cords 10 from which are suspended suitable weights 11 which hold the arms 3 of the signaling part in their normal vertical position or tend to restore said arms to such position when pressure applied to the operating connections 7 is released.

A special feature of this invention is the plotting of the base 1 so that the latter constitutes a control board or keyboard by means of which the signals are predetermined, and such signals are secured by movement of the po1nter 9 with relation to this control board as will now be more specifically set forth.

It should be noted that the control member 9 is freely and bodily movable in any direction as regards a given point on the board or with respect to the signaling part, which movements generally speaking are in radi ating directions.

While any arbitrary system or guide may be adapted for carrying out the purposes of this invention, the preferred plotting of the control board embodies a series of lines a, b, c, etc., and a, b, 0, etc, at certain intersections of which letters, figures or other suitable symbols are disposed. The lines a, b, c, it will be observed, are circumscribed on arcs of different length radii, with the right guide member 8 as a center, while the lines a, Z), 0 are circumscribed in arcs of different radii with the left guide member 8 as the center.

It will be obvious in carrying out the operation of this device that when the control member 9 is moved on the are a no movement will be imparted to the operating connection 7 connected to the right arm of the signaling part, but on the contrary movement will be imparted through the opposite connection 7 to the left arm of the figure. Conversely, movement of the pointer or control member 9 on the are a will permit the left arm to remain stationary while the right arm is given different increments of movement depending upon the extent of movement of the control member.

Where the control member is moved upon any of the other lines the position of the respective arms will be the resultant oi? the movements which are imparted to the respective connections 7. It thus follows that it the control member 9 is moved to the point indicated J the right arm of the signal remai s in its vertical posltlon wh1le the left arm will be given two increments of movement and if the pointer is then moved to the point indicated U two increments of movement will be given to each arm, disposing said arms at angles from the vertical so as to produce a signal which will be understood by an observer of the signaling device as corresponding to or representing the letters J and II respectively. It will be apparent that any suitable indicia may be applied to the diagram so as to provide a signal code when the foregoing idea is carried out. When the control pointer in its movement releases stress upon either of the connections 7, the weights suspended from the drums 6 act automatically to impart movement to the arms toward their normal vertical position.

A very simple signaling device is provided by such construction as hereinbet'ore described and slight changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is I 1. In signal apparatus of the class de scribed, the combination with a signaling part, of a control member connected to said part and movable in any direction at the will of the operator and indicating means associated therewith including signal indicia so disposed that when the control member is set relative to such indicia the signaling part will be caused to assume a position corresponding to or representing such indicia.

2. In signal apparatus 01 the class described, the combination with a signaling part including a movable element, of a control member operatively connected to said element, said member being movable in directions radiating from a given point to thereby cause the movable signal element to produce different movements corresponding to a predetermined signal code or key.

In signal apparatus of the class described, the combination with a standing signaling part including a vertically movable element, of a control member connected to said movable element and freely movable in a horizontal plane in any given direction with respect to anormal positioning point to thereby cause the movable element to make a predetermined motion or assume a predetermined position.

4;. In signal apparatus of the class described, the combination with a signaling part including a movable arm, of a pointer connected with said arm movable bodily toward and from the arm to actuate the same and a control board bearing signal indicia so plotted that when the pointer is set on a certain one of said indicia the arm will make a motion or assume a position corresponding to or representing the said certain indicia on which the pointer moves or rests.

5. In signal apparatus of the class described, the combination with a signaling part including semaphore arms movably mounted thereon, of a pointer connected to said arms, a control board provided with a series oi predetermined positioning points for said pointer so arranged that when the pointer is moved to or from said points the arms are actuated to produce a signal cor responding to or represented by the said points of said board.

6. In signal apparatus of the class described, the combination with a signaling part including movable signaling members mounted thereon, of a control member, separate connections intermediate the control member and the signaling members so arranged as to produce a motion of said members which is the resultant of the distinct movements imparted to the connections by the control member.

7 In signal apparatus of the class described, the combination with a signaling part including opposing semaphore arms pivoted adjacent to each other, of means for actuating said arms consisting of flexible connections, and means common to said connections movable in radiating directions for swinging said arms correspondingly ordifferently, according to the direction of movement of, said means.

8. In signal apparatus of the class described, the combination with a standing signaling part including spaced arms pivotally connected thereto, and a drum fixed to each of said arms, of weight means connected to each of said drums for imparting movement to the arms in one direction and holding them in normal position, a cord extending from each drum laterally and 'rearwardly of the standing part, guide means for said connections, and a pointer to which each of the connections is connected whereby movement of said pointer in different directions from the standing part will impart movement to said arms in different directions.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with a control board having its surface diagrammatically plotted with lines and indicia arranged on said lines at points varying in distance from a given point of the board, of signal producing means including a control member movable in paths prescribed by such lines and indicia to produce a signal corresponding to or represented by the said indicia.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with a control board having symbols plotted thereon to represent predetermined signal intelligences, said symbols being arranged along arcs circumscribed about a common point with different radii, of signal producing means including a control member movable in paths determined by said arcs toward or from the symbols to produce a signal or signals represented by or corresponding to the said symbols.

' 11. In a device of the class described,

the combination with a control board having symbols plotted thereon to represent pre' determined signal intelligences, said symbols being arranged along arcs circumscribed about spaced points with different radii, of signal producing means including a control member movable to or from the symbols to produce a signal or signals represented by or corresponding to the symbol on which said member moves or rests.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with a base having its surface diagrammatically plotted to provide pre determined positioning points, of a signaling device arranged at one side of said base and including movable signaling elements, a control member movable over the surface of the base in different directions, and connections intermediate the movable elements of the signaling part and the control member adapted to be given different increments of movement according to the direction of movement of the control member with re spect to said base.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOSEPH n. WATSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

